Built Environment
Active design is critical to addressing obesity and its related diseases - the fastest growing epidemics of our time - while also supporting the goals of sustainability. The newly released Active Design Guidelines provide architects and urban designers with a manual of strategies for creating healthier buildings, streets, and urban spaces, based on the latest academic research and best practices in the field.
The Active Design Guidelines was developed by a partnership of the New York City Departments of Design and Construction, Health and Mental Hygiene, Transportation, City Planning, and Office of Management and Budget, working with leading architectural and planning academics, and with help from the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. Other City agencies that contributed to the Guidelines include the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, Department of Buildings, Department of Parks and Recreation, School Construction Authority, Housing Preservation and Development, and the Department for the Aging.
For more information on these Guidelines and to download a copy, visit the Department of Design and Construction.
StairWELL to Better Health
Taking the stairs is one way to be more physically active. At work, employees are often presented with a choice between taking the stairs and taking an elevator or escalator. Choosing the stairs instead of the elevator is a quick way for people to add physical activity to their day.
For more information, visit the CDC Healthier Worksite Initiative.
